Gas cookstove burner grate



Nov. 21, 1950 H. M. REEVES GAS COOKSTOVE BURNER GRATE Filed Sept. 28, 1944 TTOWJ Patented Nov. 21, 1950 GAS COOKSTOVE BURNER GRATE Herbert M. Reeves, Kankakee, Ill., assignor to Florence Stove Company, Gardner, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application September 28, 1944, Serial No. 556,178

1 Claim. 1

The invention relates to improvements in cooking tops for gaseous fuel cook stoves and more particularly to a novel utensil support Or grate for use therewith and to a novel method of making the grates.

The general object of the invention is to provide a novel grate structure of simple and rugged construction which is attractive in appearance, efficient in operation and capable of being produced at relatively low cost.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a novel grate adapted to be fabricated from sheet metal in accordance with a novel method of construction which materially reduces manufacturing costs while producing a structure having greater strength and higher operating efficiency than conventional cast iron grates.

Another object is to provide a novel grate capable of being produced from sheet metal stock by means of simple stamping and bending operations..

A further object is to provide a grate in which the mass of metal subjected to the heat of the burner is materially less than that of cast iron grates with a corresponding reduction in heat loss due to conduction and which is not only stronger than such cast iron grates but is substantially unbreakable.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a grate embodyin the features of and constructed in accordance with the novel method of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a partially formed blank from which the improved grate is fabricated.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the manner in which the blanks are formed from a continuous strip of stock.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing an intermediate stop in the method of fabricating the improved grate.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, I have shown in the drawings and will herein describe in detail the preferred embodiment, but it is to be understood that I do not thereby intend to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but intend to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claim.

Referring to the drawings, the improved grate in the preferred form shown in Fig. 1 is of more or less conventional form comprising a body member 5 adapted to fit within the burner well of a gaseous fuel cook stove and provided with a series of uniformly spaced generally radially disposed utensil supporting fingers B. In carrying out the invention, the improved grate is fabricated from sheet metal which provides ample strength and rigidity while greatly reducing the mass of metal exposed to the flame of the burner and correspondingly reducing the heat loss through conduction. Moreover, by reason of this construction, a grate may be made by a novel method utilizing simple stamping and bending operations which materially reduces the cost of the grate.

In the exemplary grate, as shown in Fig. 1, the body 5 is annular in form but it can of course be made in any desired shape to fit a selected burner well. Eire term annular as used herein is intended to cover such other shapes. The fingers E3, herein shown as generally arcuate in the direction of their length, are formed to present their upper edges in a common horizontal plane for engagement with the bottom of a utensil to be supported over the burner.

Relatively narrow upright standards or webs 1 integral with the band 5 and fingers i5 rigidly connect the lower edges of the latter with the adjacent upper edge of the band, the webs being twisted about vertical axes to position the fingers generally radially of the body 5. Preferably, the spacing of the webs with respect to the ends of the fingers is such that the major portion of each finger projects inwardly toward the center of the grate leaving a shorter portion or extension 8 projecting outwardly to support the grate upon the top of the stove structure. To provide a point contact with the stove top, the extensions 8 are conveniently formed with depending rounded lugs 9.

By reason of its novel construction, as above described, the improved grate can be produced very economically in accordance with an improved method utilizing only simple stamping and bending operations. Thus according to the preferred method, a flat elongated blank is initially formed by stamping a series of appropriately shaped notches lli along one edge of a strip II of sheet metal of a width corresponding to the overall height of the grate. The unnotched edge portion of the blank which forms the band substantially .on the center line of the same.

cent finger.

or body 5 of the grate is then cut transversely at spaced points 12 (Fig. 3) into sections l3. The length of the sections is determined by the circumferential dimensions of the finished grate as are likewise the length and spacing of the notches l0. Each of the sections 13 constitutes a complete blank .for the fabrication of a grate.

The stamped sections I3 are rolled or otherwise bent into annular configuration as shown in Fig. 4. In this intermediate form of the blank, it will be observed that the fingers 6 are arouately bent similar to the band portion 5 of the blank and that the ends of the latter abut. The abutting ends are rigidly secured together as by butt welding thus providing a strong and rigid structure. In the final step of the fabricating method, the webs 7 connecting the band 5 with the fingers 6 are twisted about axes parallel to the axis of the band to position the fingers generally radially of the grate structure as shown in Fig. 1.

In the blank tor the exemplary grate, the notches 10 are generally .L-Shaped each consisting of an elongated slot 14 extending longitudinally of the blank and having one edge located A transverse slot 15 extends from the other edge of the slot 14 to the adjacent edge of the strip to separate .the forward or inner end of one finger from the rear or outer end of the adja- The slot .15 is located with reference to the ends of the slot l4 so that the stamping of the notch .10 forms the inwardly extending end portion of one finger and the outwardly extending portion .of the adjacent finger.

The spacing .of the notches l0 longitudinally of the strip 1.! is such as to leave a relatively narrow web 7 connecting the band 5 with each finger .6. It will be understood, of course, that the notches 10 may be stamped singly or in 1' groups as preferred. In either case, a small, generallysemi-circular notch 16 may be stamped simultaneously in the lower edge of the strip H substantially in .alinement with the web 7 for convenience in locating the strip for the stampingof the next notch or notches.

In the particular grate illustrated, the notches 10 are dimensioned and spaced apart to form .six of the fingers 6 in each blank section I 3.

The dimensions of .the notches may be varied, if

desired, to form more or less of the fingers 6 although under such conditions, the length of each finger must be suitably proportioned to the circum-ferential dimension of the grate.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that 1 the invention provides a grate structure for burners of gaseous fuel cook stoves which is simple and rugged in construction and attractive .creased as there is less heat loss from .conduction.

The novel grate structure lends itself particularly well to production in accordance with a novel method utilizing only simple stamping and bending operations. Thus the cost of producing such grates is reduced to a very low figure yet the resulting grate structure is superior to rates heretofore available.

I claim as my invention:

A grate for gaseous fuel cook stove burners comprising, in combination, a continuous annular band of relatively thin sheet metal, a plurality .of narrow upwardly projectin standards integral with said band and spaced apart circumferentially around the upper edge of the.

band, a 'like plurality of elongated utensil supporting fingers disposed in a plane parallel to the plane of theba-nd and spaced upwardly therefrom, each of said fingers overlying one of said standards and being integrally joined intermediate its .ends to the upper end of that standard, said standards being twisted about axes parallel to the central axis of 'the band to position said fingers generally radially of th :band with opposite end portions projecting respectively inwardly and outwardly relative .to the band, the outwardly projecting portions of said fingers serving to support the grate on a stove structure.

HERBERT M. REEVES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are .of record in the file .Of this patent:

UNIT-ED STATES PATENTS Number 'Name Date 374,533 Northall Dec. 6, 1887 624,047 Keiper May 2, 1899 688,960 Moon Dec. 17, 1901 901,326 Ebert Oct. 20, 1908 1,007,633 Beaton Oct. 31, 1911 1,079,767 ,Jeavons Nov. 25, 1913 1,195,313 Whitmer Aug. .22, 1916 1,256,665 Douglas -Feb. 19, 1918 1,260,562 McIntosh Mar. 26, 1918 1,355,933 Wilcox Oct. 19, 1920 1,370,083 Blackmore Mar. 1, 1921 1,377,300 Withington M n". May 10, 1921 1,490,421 Falley Apr. 15., 1924 1,663,438 Brumbaugh Mar. ,20, 1928 1,697,184 Harner Jan. 1, 1929 1,759,148 Wilcox vMay '20, 1930 1,888,515 Stockholder .Nov. 22, 1932 1,977,113 Baresch Oct. 16, 1934 2,006,283 Staempfli June 25,1935 2,065,875 Sargent Dec. 29, 1936 2,142,418 Stocker Jan. 3, 1939 2,164,619 McLeod July 4, 1939 2,311,730 Bowers Feb. 23,1943 2,424,443 Evans July 22, 1947 2,432,267 Adamson Dec. 9, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 517,533 Germany Feb. 5, 1931 

